Algebra May Be Out for the Coddled in California

I am originally from the great Socialist Republic of California. I often have a hard time admitting this and can only freely disclose it after years of group and individual therapy. However, I must say that even as a teenager, I was a hard-core constitutionalist. I remember sitting down with my girlfriend’s father one day and having him quiz me about my political beliefs.

Of course I told him that I was a liberal, since I was told in school that is what all young people were. By the time he was done questioning me, he informed me I was more of an uncompromising constitutionalist than he was. This was likely true and is the reason I was excommunicated from the state.

It is interesting to look at California and watch the changes that have taken place over the decades — especially observing how ridiculously deep they have waded into the sea of insane politics. I understand a lot of it. After all, California is one of the testing grounds for the liberal agenda, so it only makes sense that the most irrational of views are tried there first. However, the latest example really does blow my mind.

California is the sixth-largest economy in the world, and a large portion of that comes from the technological fields. In order to maintain this ranking, one would think that they would be investing heavily into continuing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education. Yet according to Eloy Ortiz Oakley, chancellor of the California community college system, this is not the case. See, only 48 percent of those who enter into the community college system in California actually graduate or move up into the higher levels of college academia. Over half fail out never to return, and one of the major barriers to their graduating is the study of algebra.

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So, the chancellor, after carefully studying and analyzing the depths of the issues and wrestling with the political forces that are always attempting to subjugate and control those without economic affluence, has deduced the true issue is our horrible math achievements in education. The answer is so simple that it is amazing that no one else has ever been able to deduce it. You see, algebra is racist and classist.

When asked specifically about the question of algebra and minorities, Oakley stated, “First of all, we’ve seen in the data from many of the pilots across the country that are using alternative math pathways — that are just as rigorous as an algebra course — we’ve seen much greater success for students because many of these students can relate to these different kinds of math depending on which program of study they’re in. They can see how it works in their daily life and how it’s going to work in their career.”

“The second thing I’d say is yes, this is a civil rights issue.”

Just to interrupt and put in my own two cents on this first comment: No kidding. This is actually how all of education should be run, not simply math concepts that are difficult to understand. The best practices for education all state that education should relate to things that the kids can understand. This is why you see more and more schools throughout the United States using cross-curricular instruction.

Students learn much more difficult concepts when they not only understand the process, but understand the application. However, the use of this concept has nothing to do with allowing students to escape from grueling and arduous concepts. Instead, it is what is helping to push our students beyond the barriers that once held them back from obtaining this incomprehensible knowledge.

Instead of mandating that students achieve greatness, we lower the bar so that students are given a participation trophy for attending community college?

He then continues with, “The second thing I’d say is yes, this is a civil rights issue, but this is also something that plagues all Americans — particularly low-income Americans. If you think about all the underemployed or unemployed Americans in this country who cannot connect to a job in this economy — which is unforgiving of those students who don’t have a credential — the biggest barrier for them is this algebra requirement. It’s what has kept them from achieving a credential.”

So your answer is to change the requirement? Instead of mandating that students achieve greatness, we lower the bar so that students are given a participation trophy for attending community college?

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This is one of the biggest problems with education in America today. Educators are too cowardly to call out the real issue with the education system.

When my wife was teaching, her school boasted a 1:12 ratio of student to teacher, which is truly exceptional. Unfortunately, this was a mathematical game. Yes, if you took all those with teacher certificates and added them together you would in fact come up with that ratio. However, that included all of those teachers who performed essential tasks within the school but did not have classrooms. The actual number was more like 1:32, which is outrageously high.

During the interview, the NPR reporter finally asked a question of true consequence (accidentally, I would assume): “Do you risk a negative form of tracking? Depriving a student of the possibility of saying in community college: ‘Wow, that quadratic equation is the most interesting thing I’ve ever seen. I think I’m going to do more stuff like this.'” In other words, the reporter was worried that these students were not going to be exposed to higher-level math that may open new experiences for these students.

How can you lower the bar of excellence like this?

Minority kids aren’t performing as well, so let’s make it easier for them to graduate instead of finding ways to help them truly excel.
The answer was an amazing example of doublespeak. “We’re certainly not saying that we’re going to commit students to lower levels of math or different kinds of math. What we’re saying is we want more students to have math skills that allow them to keep moving forward. We want to build bridges between the kinds of math pathways we’re talking about that will allow them to continue into STEM majors. We don’t want to limit students.”

Really? In fact, that seems to be exactly what you are saying. How can you lower the bar of excellence without, as you put it, committing students to lower levels of math skills? In fact, all STEM majors require advanced mathematics. What you are saying here is so blatantly false I must assume it is an intentional lie. More importantly, how is any of this not racist or classist at its very core? Minority kids aren’t performing as well, so let’s make it easier for them to graduate instead of finding ways to help them truly excel.

Best of all is how easily Oakley believes this issue can be rectified, and in doing so shows the hubris inherent in those who think themselves elevated because of their position in the education system. Hubris is defined as excessive pride. It actually comes from the ancient Greeks and was excessive pride toward or defiance of the gods, leading to nemesis. That seems to be a fair assessment of those like the chancellor.

In his own words, “Certainly, these questions come up in K-12 education, but if we consider who really drives K-12 education — that is our four-year university system. By creating requirements, we ensure that K-12 has to align with those requirements. So as long as algebra is the defining math course, K-12 will have to teach it.”

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In other words, if the colleges change the requirements, they can force the high schools and below to change theirs as well. See how easy that makes it? No one needs to worry about talking to educators or looking at studies. More importantly, no one needs to be able to actually address the needs of those students failing to obtain the standard.

Martin Luther King, Jr. once stated, “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education.”

Apparently, that is no longer the case. Critical thinking is no longer on the docket. Mediocracy is the new excellence. That and receiving your participation trophy.

Matthew Wadler is a U.S. Army veteran and a senior OpsLens contributor. He served in the Army for 20 years as both enlisted and officer before retiring; his service includes time as military police, field artillery, adjutant general, and recruiting. His deployments include Somalia and two tours to Afghanistan. He holds a master’s degree in HR Management and is a strong supporter of the Constitution and an advocate for military and veteran communities. This OpsLens article is used by permission.